


God, Save My Son

by Miss_Eliza_Sparrow



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Drama, Gen, Loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 07:11:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17762195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Eliza_Sparrow/pseuds/Miss_Eliza_Sparrow
Summary: "Before there was Spot Conlon, the leader of the Brooklyn Newsies, there was Sean Patrick Conlon, the loving older brother..."





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Newsies.

Chapter One

Before there was Spot Conlon, the leader of the Brooklyn Newsies, there was Sean Patrick Conlon, the loving older brother.

Patrick adored his little sister, Nora. He loved the smile in her eyes and how she always found something to giggle at. At night Nora loved to tell him about the fairies she claimed to have seen.

Even though the Conlon's were poor, just because they were immigrants from Ireland, they only needed each other to be happy. Julia Conlon washed laundry for a living, while Sean (Patrick's father and namesake) labored in a factory all day. Patrick had learned to tend for himself and Nora since Nora was born.

One day, Patrick had just turned 10, Sean came home with a fever. Sean shrugged it up, saying it was nothing. He went to work the next day against Julia's warnings. By that evening, Sean had all the symptoms of the Flu.

The last time Patrick ever saw his father, was seeing his father on his deathbed.

"Patty," Sean whispered, stroking his son's hair, "You have to be brave for your mother. Promise me that, my boy."

"I promise, Pop. I won't let anyone hurt Mam or Nora, " Patrick replied.

Sean smiled. "You make me so proud, Patrick.

"During the night Sean took his last breath.

Julia was devastated. There was no money for a good funeral, so she had to make do with what she had. Patrick did his best to comfort his mother and sister, but at night he wept for his father. Poor Nora didn't understand what had happened to her father. Death was not a reality in her five-year-old mind.

Sean's death was the start of everything going downhill.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julia comes home with the man that ruined everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Newsies.

Chapter Two

One night, Julia brought home a man. Patrick immediately disliked him. No. Wrong word. Hated him. He didn't move from his place in front of the door, with his arm wrapped proactively around Nora's waist. Little Nora believed in giving people chances. She walked over to the man and said,

"Hello, me name's Nora. Who are you?"

"I'm Earl Butler. Your mother's beau," the man said.

"Earl, I never agreed to that," Julia whispered.

They bubbled up inside Patrick. No one could ever love his mother as Sean had. Sean was the only rightful person to be in love with Julia.

"Shut up, Earl," he snapped.

Earl looked Patrick straight in the eye. His black eyes were full of anger. If looks could kill. But Patrick wouldn't let Earl see his fear.

Julia went to Patrick and placed her hands on Patrick's shoulders. Nora slid behind her mother's skirt. She was afraid of Earl, too.

"This is my son, Patrick," Julia said.

"You spoke so highly of him before. You may need to look through some different eyes, Julia," Earl snapped.

"Mam," Nora whispered, "I don't like this man very much. He scares me."

Unfortunately, Earl had heard her.

"You wanna a reason to be afraid?" Earl dragged Nora out of her hiding spot. "I'll give ya a real good reason to be afraid."

Before Julia could get to her, Earl had slapped Nora. Nora clutched her stinging cheek. Patrick ran to his little sister. He needed to protect her and he had failed. He had failed not just Nora, but his father too.

"Earl! She's only a child!" Julia exclaimed.

"A Child that needs ta lean better!" Earl shouted, "I need me a beer, now. have the boy get me one."

"We don't have any alcohol," Patrick replied, a matter of factly.

"WHAT!" Earl screamed, making Nora cover her ears, "Didn't you have a husband?!"

"My Pa, wasn't stupid, like you!" Patrick exclaimed.

"Boy!" Earl had his hand ready to soak Patrick.

Patrick didn't wince. He would not let his guard down.

"EARL! DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT TOUCHING MY CHILDREN!" Julia screamed.

They went into the kitchen. Patrick and Nora could hear their mother screaming. It was conforming to know that their mother loved them so. Nora embraced her brother. Patrick squeezed her tightly.

"Patty, that man makes he scared," Nora said, quietly.

Patrick rubbed her back.

"Don't worry, Nora. I'll always protect you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think Nora is freaking adorable. Spot is too. I love how he only wants to protect his little sister. Who's your favorite?
> 
> I really love reviews. I might need a few to motivate me to do the next chapter...
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Earl comes into their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really short chapter today.
> 
> I don't own Newsies.

Chapter Three

Patrick was shocked. His mother had married Earl. This has become a living nightmare.

Their small, but loving apartment was filled with beer bottles. Earl gave Patrick a weekly beating. Nora occasionally got one too. The apartment was always dirty. Julia must have assumed that Earl would work. Julia and Earl fought nightly. Nora was almost always afraid. Patrick was too, but he kept it to himself. He couldn't scare Nora farther. Julia always seemed to be tired. There were purple lines under her eyes. Julia seemed to be sick all the time. Earl ignored his wife. Patrick was forced to step up to care if his mother and little sister. Young boys should be able to play and go to school. But for Patrick, that would never happen.

"Pop would be so proud of you, Patty," Julia would tell her son.

Patrick hoped so, at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So not my best work, but an important chapter.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patrick's world turns upside down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I updated this.
> 
> Warning: This involves someone getting shot.

Chapter Four

Patrick wished he could forget that night. But no matter how hard he had tried, he couldn't.

Earl had come home drunk that night. It was no surprise to anyone. But this time he carried a gun with him. Julia was still at work.

"If anyone angers me, they'll answer ta this!" Earl exclaimed.

Patrick took Nora's hand and brought her to their room. Nora burst into tears. Patrick embraced her, stroking her hair.

"I-I w-w-want P-P-P-Pa-a-a back!" she wailed, much too loud.

Her older brother's face paled. What if Earl had heard that? He would never forgive Nora for that. Even if she was just a confused six-year-old. Earl wouldn't take pity on her. Patrick wondered if mercy he knew what it meant. Patrick continued to rub her back and whisper comforting thing to her.

The door banged open. Patrick shielded Nora from the man he hated most. Nora was trembling. Earl had the gun with him.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY, GIRL?!" he screamed, "I AM YOUR P-P-PAAAA, YOU UNGRATEFUL, D*CK!"

"I-I-I'm-m-m s-sor-rry, sssir," Nora whispered.

"HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU CALL MY LITTLE SISTER A STUPID D*CK! IF ANYONE WAS A D*CK IT WOULD BE YOU!" Patrick screamed back.

His mother dashed into the room. She was still wearing her washer woman's uniform. Julia gasped at the scene that laid before her.

"Patrick, you know not to cuss! And Earl, why on Earth do you have a gun?!" Julia questioned.

"Mam, he called Nora a d*ck!" explained Patrick.

Julia sighed. "I believe it. I don't know why I agreed to marry you! You slimy son of a…! You are a d*ck! I was a fool!" she turned to her children. Nora started to walk towards her, "We're leaving."

"You won't leave." Earl was shaking his head. "No. You won't. Because of this!"

Within seconds, Earl pointed the gun at Nora and shot. When the bullet hit her chest, she fell back. Patrick screamed and ran to his sister's side. Nora was whimpering. Julia joined Patrick at Nora's side. Earl had sprinted away.

"Mam, it hurts. It hurts…" Nora mumbled.

"I know, baby." Julia cradled her child. "I know."

They were all sobbing now.

She was supposed to live. Nora had so many adventures planned out for her. Why did she have to be the one on the ground, bleeding? This time Patrick hadn't protected her. It was his fault. All his fault. So many blissful memories came back to Patrick.

Nora started to gasp. She was looking at the ceiling. It seemed like she was seeing something that wasn't there.

"Pa?" Nora asked. She was silent for a moment. "I'll come with you. But I will miss Patty and Mam. I will see them again?" again she seemed to wait for some answer. "I will say goodbye."

"Nori…" Julia sighed.

"I wove you, Mam. I wove you, Patty." With that Nora was gone.

Patrick was only silent. Julia sobbed over Nora's body. But Patrick couldn't even move. Nora was gone. Nora was dead. His sweet baby sister was dead. Because of Earl. No. Because of himself. He should have taken the bullet for her. He should have protected her.

Nora was dead and it was all Patrick's fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cried so hard while I wrote this. Not my best death scene, but I think it got the job done.
> 
> Reviews make me happy!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How can Patrick get away from it all?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter after this.
> 
> I don't own Newsies.

Chapter Five

Julia cried herself to sleep every night. She couldn't hide it from Patrick. Patrick was still beating himself up over Nora. He had killed her. If only he had taken that d*mn bullet. If only.

On the bright side, Earl had been caught by the police. He was in prison, now. A filthy place where he belonged.

Patrick couldn't live with all this. At night, he was packing his belongings up. He planned to run away. It would be good for his mother. So she didn't have to think 'he could of saved my daughter if he had a mind' every time she saw him. Of course, Julia didn't think this at all. But Patrick knew he was a disappointment to her. To his father. To Nora.

He had written a note to his mother, explaining why he had run away. Then, climbed down the fire escape and ran off into the dark night.

Patrick became a newsie. He had seen them before. Patrick joined them to carry the banner on the streets of Brooklyn. Later he even became the leader of the Brooklyn Newsies. When he was seventeen he would help settle the newsboy strike.

But for now he was just a poor newsie, missing his mother, father, and little sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> God, save her son!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter!
> 
> I don't own Newsies.

Chapter Six

Seven Year Later

Patrick is seventeen

Julia woke up to a sunny Saturday morning. She got out of bed, washed her face, put on a clean dress, and slipped on her shoes. She walked out of her apartment, locking the door behind her.

She found herself in Matthaean, on Newsie Square. What is Patrick had become a newsie? But would he really come all the way to Matthaean? She pushed passed a few of the newsies. For a moment she thought she saw her son, but when Julia looked, she found a stranger's face. The newsies were busy begging for food from the nuns. Julia began calling out for him,

Patrick, darling

Since you left me I am undone

Mother, loves you!

God, save my son!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, as I was watching the movie, I was touched by Patrick's mother's lines during Carrying the Banner. I found out that a lot of people believed that she was Spot Conlon's mother and I believe it too. I was really sad that they had cut it from the show.
> 
> Please review!
> 
> Thanks to all of you who stuck with my story!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Reviews make me happy!


End file.
